20-22 Months

Dear Little Spoon,
  You are just two months away from being two, which makes you a full on toddler pretty soon.  I LOVE this age. I love each day with you because something new always happens and we have so many fun adventures, from building tents, to reading books side by side, to saying "cheers" and smashing our PB&J sandwiches together. In the last two months you have changed drastically. I noticed it more because I spent one full week away from you on a vacation with Daddy and came home to a whole new kiddo! You are so sweet and show me love each day in different ways. I love watching you discover new things and love seeing how amused you are with the games I make up for us to play. You are easily amused, easily distracted, and easily captivated. You love to practice all the words you know by reciting them over and over. Lately, you love to listen and look for planes in the sky and big trucks on the road. Both noises stop you in your tracks and you look around to find the plane or truck to point to it and tell me, "pane" "ig uck". Each day you are saying more and more new words. New words I swear I haven't said but maybe you have picked up from TV, books or Daddy?

As of last week we moved you into a modified crib/toddler bed. It's not a full on toddler bed but you are able to get in and out of it freely. We had to convert your crib because you were attempting to balance on your belly on your crib railing to get out. You were able to get a few toes up on the rail as well which doesn't surprise me. You have always been limber which I think you got from being so crammed in my belly for so long. You have transitioned really well to your new bed and I am so proud of you for adjusting well. The first two days were your most testing days but you learned quickly! When you wake up in the morning you go sit in your little chair, cover your legs with your favorite blanket and look at books. This is the cutest thing to see you do and I love that you play quietly and study books. Then, you come get me or like this morning I woke up to find you on the couch with a snack and your water ready for me to turn on the TV for you!

You are trying more new foods but you still have your favorite go to items. You LOVE muffins and so I continue to make mini sized homemade ones with healthy substitutions to keep you full and happy. You still don't eat meat unless we sneak it in something and you seem to only like roasted veggies if any. Breakfast is still your biggest meal which is fine by me because I feel there are more options and variety to give you for that meal. You have never been a milk drinker and now only consume the occasional weekly "coffee" that I get you from Starbucks (organic vanilla milk). You ask for water and will drink it all day.

You still love to snuggle with me and cuddle up to me when we watch a movie or read books. I love this downtime with you and love how sweet you are to me. You are a very good listener and don't throw a lot of fits. When you do have a meltdown or a fit I ask you to calm down so we can talk about it. You usually do and we have a chat about what's going on. You do really well with me telling you why we are doing things the way we are doing them. You react better to positive reinforcement or incentives than to negativity or harsh discipline. I have noticed the more stress free our house is and the more laid back I am towards the things you do, the better you react to them. You really are a wonderful, well behaved kiddo. We are very lucky and I will do my best to continue to shape you into a happy positive little person!

Favorite Sayings:
Oh my
Oh dear
Oh mon (man)
Oh sh*t (only heard you say this a few times, eek!)
Hooray (accompanied with one arm raise to when saying it)
All gone
ZoZo coffee (when mama gets Starbucks, you get vanilla milk in a Starbucks cup, your "coffee")

Favorite Things:
Blankets (must have several to sleep with)
Winnie the Pooh movies (obsessed!)
Dr. Suess, Their is a Wocket in my Pocket
Dr. Suess, Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? (we read both of these nightly and I catch you looking at them yourself in the mornings when you get out of bed).
Carrying Mama's Keys wherever we go
Library story time. You love the teacher and always make your way to the front of the class to dance, look at the book she is reading or just smile at the teacher.
Playing outside
Playing in a whole, in the dirt, outside
Anything that involves water. You help mama water all the trees and Daddy's greenhouse plants

Funny things:
Whenever you see an older lady with short grey hair you say, "MeMa, MeMa!". Then you make a sad face and say, "ohh" when that lady walks away. Just today you saw an interview on TV with the Long Island Medium lady and said, "GiGi! GiGi!". This made me laugh because you must associate the blonde hair with your GiGi and grey hair with your MeMa.

I went to Kohl's last weekend and bought you a few clothes on clearance while you stayed home with Daddy. When I got home, I opened the bag and showed you the clothes I got you. You picked up a pair of PJ's, held them up to yourself and said, "cute". I just about died hearing you say this! You love your clothes already don't you?!

You will break out in the Winnie the Pooh exercise dance in a store, at the park or anywhere you feel like it. You raise your arms high, then touch your toes all while saying, "up..down..up!"

Family Sunday Coffee

Before nap time I told you if you stayed in your bed and took a good rest, when you woke up you could wear mama's necklace. You did it and so you got to wear it!

Pooh bath toys for being such a good big girl in your new bed.

Feeding and chasing ducks but mostly eating the bread I brought for the ducks when I wasn't looking.

First night in your new bed started with smiles but tears and sadness soon followed. First night was the hardest. 

Happy to be outside, in the dirt, in a hole.

Our evening walks are mostly you pushing stroller, dancing with your shadow, and holding hands.

First pedicure. Mama and you had a at home pedi day and you refused socks the whole day so you could see your toes!

                                  

Once I said it was perfectly okay to paint your toes and hands, you went for it! 

Got to play with couple week old lambs .

You got sad and upset when Daddy said he had to put the Toad back to bed.

You climbed out of your bed to get your favorite Dr. Suess books and then got back in bed and hugged them until you fell asleep.

Your smile and hugs make mean everything to me.